Not a Penny More,

Not a Penny Less

‘We've all lost a lost of money
in Prospecta Oil. I think, if we
work together, we can get it
all back.’
Harvey Metcalfe is very rich,
very clever and not very
honest. But this time he has
stolen from the wrong men.
Stephen Bradley knows he can
get his money back with the
help of the three others who
lost money in Prospecta Oil.
Together they think of four
plans to get back the
$1,000,000 that Harvey stole
from them without him
reahzing what they have done.
The story goes from London,
to Oxford, Monte Carlo and
finally Boston USA, while
Stephen Bradley and his
friends slowly steal their
money back from Harvey —
not a penny more, not a
penny less.
Jeffrey Archer was born in
1940 and went to Oxford
University. He was very good
at sports and ran for Great
Britain in the early 1960s. In
1969 he went to the House of
Commons as the youngest
Member of Parliament ever
but had to leave when he lost
all his money in a business
that went wrong. After that, in
1974, he wrote Not a Penny
More, Not a Penny Less, which
was his first book. Since then
he has written another ten
books and they have sold
millions all over the world. He
has also written for the
theatre. In 1990 a television
company made a film of the
story of Not a Penny More,
Not a Penny Less.
The Queen made him Lord
Archer in 1992. He lives in
Cambridge with his wife and
two sons.
OTHER TITLES IN THE SERIES
The following titles are
available at Levels 2, 3 and 4:
Level 2 The Birds Chocky
The Canterville Ghost and the
Model Milhonaire The Diary
Don’t Look Behind You Don’t
Look Now Emily The Fox Flour
Babies
The Ghost of Genny Castle
Grandad’s Eleven The Lady in
the Lake Money to Bum
Persuasion
The Railway Children The
Room in the Tower and Other
Ghost Stories Simply Suspense
Treasure Island Under the
Greenwood Tree The Wave
We Are All Guilty The Weirdo
Level 3 Black Beauty
The Black Cat and Other
Stories The Book of Heroic
Failures Calling All Monsters A
Catskill Eagle Channel Runner
The Darling Buds of May ,
Dubliners Earthdark Forrest
Gump The Fugitive Jane Eyre
King Solomon’s Mines
Madame Doubtfire
The Man with Two Shadows
and Other Ghost Stories More
Heroic Failures Mrs Dalloway
My Family and Other Animals
Rain Man
The Reluctant Queen Santorini
Sherlock Holmes and the
Mystery of Boscombe Pool
StarGate
Surnmer of My German
Soldier The Thirty-nine Steps
Thunder Point Time Bird
The Turn of the Screw Twice
Shy
Level 4
The Boys from Brazil The
Breathing Method The Burden
of Proof The Client The Danger
Detective Work
The Doll’s House and Other
Stories Dracula
Far from the Madding Crowd
Farewell, My Lovely Glitz
Gone with the Wind, Part 1
Gone with the Wind, Part 2
The House of Stairs
The Locked Room and Other
Horror Stories
The Mill on the Floss The
Mosquito Coast The Picture of
Dorian Gray Strangers on a
Train White Fang
Not a Penny More, Not a
Penny Less

JEFFREY ARCHER
Level 3
Retold by Annette Barnes
Series Editor; Derek Strange
To the teacher:
In addition to all the language
forms of Levels One and Two,
which are used again at this
level of the series, the main
verb forms and tenses used at
Level Three are;
• past continuous verbs,
present perfect simple verbs,
conditional clauses (using the
‘first’ or ‘open future’
conditional), question tags
and further common phrasal
verbs
• modal verbs: hat>e (got) to
and don’t have to (to express
obligation), need to and
needn’t (to express necessity),
could and was able to (to
describe past abihty), could
and would (in offers and polite
requests for help, and shall
(for future plans, offers and
suggestions).

Also used are:

• relative pronouns: who, that
and which (in defining clauses)
• conjunctions: if and since
(for time or reason), so that
(for purpose or result) and
while
• indirect speech (questions)
• participle clauses.

Specific attention is paid to

vocabulary development in
the Vocabulary Work exercises
at the end of the book. These
exercises are aimed at training
students to enlarge their
vocabulary systematically
through intelligent reading
and effective use of a
dictionary.
To the student:
Dictionary Words;
к When you read this book,
you will find that some words
are darker black than the
others on the page. Look them
up in your dictionary, if you do
not already know them, or try
to guess the meaning of the
words first, without a
dictionary.
‘We’ll both be very rich by this
time next year. ’
CHAPTER ONE
It was David Kesler’s first time
in England and everything
seemed very small after New
York. He was taking the train
from London to Oxford to visit
an old friend from Harvard
University. David was looking
forward to seeing Stephen
Bradley again but he was
more excited about his new
job with Prospecta Oil. In his
hand was a report about oil in
the North Sea and David read
it again while the train
travelled towards Oxford.
‘There’s no mistake,’ he
thought. ‘Anyone who puts
money into Prospecta Oil is
going to be very rich.’
‘. . . but my father died last
winter,’ said Stephen. He
pushed his glasses higher on
his nose. ‘Perhaps you can
help me, David. He left me a
lot of money and it’s still just
sitting in the bank. I don’t
know much about business or
the best way to use the
money.’
David was happy to be able to
help an old friend and he told
Stephen about the report for
Prospecta Oil.
‘Why don’t you use your
money there? I’m going to buy
some of these shares. The
price of the shares will go up a
lot when everyone knows
about this report and when
the time is right we can sell
them. We’ll both be very rich
by this time next year.’
Stephen looked at the report
David had with him. Yes, it
seemed like a very good idea,
he thought.
When Stephen Bradley bought
his shares, they cost ;{|3.10
each and he bought 40,000.
Back in London, David Kesler
told a few other people about
Prospecta Oil and slowly the
price of the shares went up.
By the end of the week they
cost ^Ъ.1Ъ each. David’s boss
in Boston USA was pleased.
Thanks to David, Prospecta Oil
shares were selling fast. He
decided to give David another
$5,000 because he was doing
a good job. David wanted to
buy a picture with the money
and while he was looking he
met some other people who
were interested in Prospecta
Oil. The price of the shares
went up again, to ;4^3.90
each. One week later they cost
;,(^4.80.
The following Monday David
arrived at work and found the
office locked and empty.
Nobody from Prospecta Oil
was there. He phoned his
bank and asked about the
price of Prospecta Oil shares.
‘They’ve gone down to ;£3.80
but I don’t know why. I’ll ask
some questions and call you
back.’
‘Sell my shares now,’ said
David. He didn’t understand
what was happening and felt
sick when he remembered his
conversations with Stephen
and other people.
On Wednesday morning the
share price was down to and
at the end of the day to 25p.
David was very worried and he
didn’t know what to do next.
He went to the bank and took
out all his money. When he
got to his flat a neighbour
spoke to him.
‘The police were here looking
for you.’
David was frightened now.
The only thing he wanted to
do was to get out of London.
He put everything into his
suitcases, drove to the airport
and bought a one-way ticket
to New York.
In Oxford, Stephen bought the
morning newspaper and
couldn’t understand what he
read about Prospecta Oil. He
tried to telephone David but
there was no answer. In the
evening two policeman came
to see him.
‘David Kesler has left the
country, but we don’t think he
had any idea what was
happening. The man who
started Prospecta Oil is Harvey
Metcalfe. He lives in the USA.
But there is no oil and no
company now.’
‘But I saw the report on North
Sea oil; it said the oil was
there,’ said Stephen.
‘Yes, it was very clever. But it
didn’t say that there really
was oil where Prospecta were
looking, just that there
probably was. You bought
Harvey Metcalfe’s shares and
so did other people. Because
you were all buying, the price
went up and up. He sold all his
shares and got your money,
then closed the offices and
walked away. And his name
won’t be on any papers, you
can be sure of that. Prospecta
Oil is only a company on paper
now. There’s nothing more.’
Stephen was angry with
himself. It was a stupid thing
to do and now all his father’s
money was gone.
‘Can you tell me anything
about this Harvey Metcalfe?’
he asked.
‘He lives in Boston, he’s very
rich, very clever and not very
honest. He’s given a lot of
money to Harvard University
over the years, but he’s kept
much more for himself. David
Kesler probably never met him
or spoke to him.’
Stephen had another
question.
‘Am I the only person who lost
a lot of money?’
‘No, sir. There were three
other men who bought about
the same number of shares as
you did. Kesler met them all in
London.’
‘Can you tell me their names?’
‘There was a Harley Street
doctor. Dr Robin Oakley; a
Frenchman, Jean-Pierre
Lamanns of the Lamanns
Gallery in Bond Street and
Lord James Brigsley. He
borrowed money to buy the
shares and the bank will take
his family farm if he can’t pay
them back. It’s very bad luck.
Together, you lost about $1
million.’
In the next few days Stephen
found a lot of information
about Harvey Metcalfe. Then
he found the addresses of the
other three men and sent
them each a letter that asked
them to come to Oxford for
dinner. At the bottom of the
letters he wrote ‘David Kesler
won’t be able to come.’
3i.'
The first to arrive was Jean-
Pierre Lamanns and then
Robin Oakley and then James
Brigsley. It was a mystery to
them all why Stephen wanted
to meet them. But they soon
understood.
‘We’ve all lost a lot of money
in Prospecta Oil. I think if we
work together, we can get it
all back,’ Stephen told them
after a very good dinner in his
rooms.
They were all surprised and
thought Stephen was stupid to
think about trying to do it.
‘It’s impossible,’ said Jean-
Pierre.
‘Harvey Metcalfe is very
clever; he’s an expert at this.
How can we win against him?’
asked Robin.
Stephen gave them each an
envelope of papers with all his
information about Harvey
Metcalfe.
‘We can win because we’re all
experts too, at-other things
tbatTtc-dOHSiPmmterstartdr I
know a lot about this man
now and I think we can get
our money back from him.
And he’ll never know what
we’ve done,’ he said.
He read from the first paper.
‘Every year, Harvey comes to
Europe for a holiday. In
Stephen gave them each an
envelope of papers with all his
information about Harvey
Metcalfe.
England he goes to see the
tennis at Wimbledon, he
watches the horse races at
Ascot and he visits the London
galleries because he buys
pictures. He also spends some
time in Monte Carlo. In all
these places we are more at
home than he is.’ Stephen
picked up the other papers.
‘These papers tell you
everything about Harvey
Metcalfe. Please study them
carefully and each think of a
plan for how to get our money
back. There will be four
different plans and we’ll all
help with each plan. If we
work together, we can get all
the money back — pet-
a~penny-moce,-mQt-a
penny—less. We’ll meet here
again in fourteen days.’
Robin and Jean-Pierre still
weren’t sure about Stephen’s
idea but James said, ‘I agree.
Together maybe we can do
this.’
On the way home, both Robin
and Jean-Pierre started to
think of ideas but James sat in
the train to London and
couldn’t think of anything.
Sitting opposite him was a
beautiful girl and he tried to
think how to start a
conversation with her. Then
he noticed that the woman
next to her was reading a
magazine and he was
surprised to see a photo of the
same girl on the front. When
the other woman got off the
train he asked her about the
picture.
‘Sometimes it’s very boring,
always smiling for
photographs,’ she said, ‘but 1
go to some interesting places.’
She told him her name, Anne
Summerton. She lived in
London but her parents were
American. When the train
arrived in London, James
drove her home and asked her
for her telephone number.
He was not thinking about
Harvey Metcalfe now.
She told him her name, Anne
Summerton. She lived in
London but her parents were
American.
‘You must have a plan ready
when we meet again in three
weeks,
James.’
CHAPTER TWO
It was two weeks later and all
four men were again sitting in
Stephen’s room at Oxford
University. Stephen had some
more information about
Harvey. Now they knew when
he would arrive in England,
which hotel he was staying at
and when he would go to
Monte Carlo. They also knew
when he was returning to
America.
Next they had to decide which
plan to do, where and when.
Robin wanted Monte Carlo for
his plan, Jean-Pierre wanted
Wimbledon and Stephen
wanted Ascot and a few days
before Harvey went home to
America. James didn’t have a
plan yet. He was trying to
think of one, but he still had
no ideas. Stephen was angry
with him.
‘You must have a plan ready
when we meet again in three
weeks, James. Now, we’ll hear
the others. Robin, you first. . .’
The next few weeks were very
busy. They all had to go to
hospital with Robin to learn
how doctors work, James had
to practise driving fast
through the city and Jean-
Pierre had to learn all about
playing cards in a casino.
Stephen went back to Oxford
for a week to find more
information about the
Secretary of the University’s
office. Everyone had to
practise using a two-way
radio-and-=^yiiig to iiTake
llieiiiselves look diftererTt.
Stephen started to grow a
moustache. Their plans were
nearly ready — but James still
didn’t have a plan. He was too
busy seeing Anne. One
evening he told her about
what they were doing but he
didn’t tell the others that
Anne knew. She promised to
help him think of a plan.
Harvey arrived in London. On
the first day of Wimbledon, he
went to watch the tennis. The
game that he watched wasn’t
very interesting so after half
an hour he got up and walked
out. Robin was sitting
opposite him and he followed
Harvey when he left. Harvey’s
car took him into London, to
Bond Street. Robin drove
behind him, telling the others
on his radio where they were.
Jean-Pierre had a special
picture to put into the window
of his gallery when he knew
Harvey was near. The picture
looked just like a Van Gogh
but it wasn’t a real one.
At Bond Street, Harvey left his
car and started visiting
galleries, looking for a picture
to buy. He felt happy.
‘Maybe today’s my lucky day,’
he thought. ‘First my wife
phoned, then my daughter. I
feel sure this is the day that
I’m going to find a wonderful
picture.’
Behind him, Robin spoke into
his radio.
‘He’s getting near your gallery,
put the Van Gogh in now,
Jean-Pierre . . . he’s stopped to
look at something in another
window . . . getting very near
now . . .’
Harvey walked up to the
window of the Lamanns
Gallery and stopped. He was
very surprised to see the Van
Gogh in the centre of the
window. It was beautiful; he
wanted it immediately.
He walked inside and Jean-
Pierre, Stephen and James
were talking about the
picture.
‘. . . disappeared in Berlin in
1937,’ said Jean-Pierre.
When Stephen spoke Harvey
thought he was foreign. He
had a moustache now and the
colour of his hair was darker
too so he looked quite
different to usual. His voice
sounded German. He spoke to
Jean-Pierre, ‘;,(^170,000
seems expensive, but it’s
beautiful. I’ll get the money
from my bank and return at 4
p.m.’
‘You’re a lucky man, Herr
Drosser,’ said James. ‘If you
10
Harvey walked up to the
window of the Lamanns
Gallery and
stopped.
decide to sell it one day,
please telephone me.’ James
gave Stephen a card with his
address on.
‘Where shall we send the
picture?’ asked Jean-Pierre.
‘Where are you staying in
London?’
‘The Dorchester Hotel, room
120,’ said Stephen, then he
said goodbye and left the
gallery.
Harvey surprised everyone
then. Instead of trying to buy
the picture for more money,
he walked out behind
Stephen. At first they didn’t
know what to do next.
They had to think quickly.
Robin told Stephen on his
radio about Harvey. James
quickly found a taxi and got to
the Dorchester before
Stephen. He paid for room 120
and gave Stephen the key
when he walked in. Stephen
went up to room 120 and very
soon, Harvey came into the
hotel. At the desk he asked for
Herr Drosser.
‘Room 120, I think,’ the man
said. Then Harvey spoke to
Stephen on the telephone and
asked to meet him.
Stephen waited in room 120
and a few minutes later
Harvey knocked at the door.
‘Herr Drosser,’ said Harvey, ‘I
know that you have just
bought a Van Gogh and I’m
very interested in buying it
from you. Will you sell it to me
for more than you paid?’
‘I don’t think so. I want it for
my gallery in Munich,’ said
Stephen.
‘You paid ^0,000. That’s about
$405,000. I’ll pay you $15,000
more,’ said Harvey.
Stephen thought for a minute.
He knew he could make
Harvey pay more.
‘$20,000 more, and I’ll agree,’
he said.
Harvey didn’t speak. Stephen
waited.
‘OK, $20,000 more,’ said
Harvey.
Stephen phoned Jean-Pierre
at the gallery.
‘I have a Mr Metcalfe here
with me. He will come into the
12
Stephen thought for a minute.
He knew he could make
Harvey pay more. ‘$20,000
more, and I’ll agree,’ he said.
gallery in the next few
minutes and pay you for the
Van Gogh. Please give him the
picture.’
At the other end of the
telephone Jean-Pierre guessed
what was happening and
laughed quietly.
In room 120 Harvey Metcalfe
gave Stephen $20,000.
‘Thank you, I’m a very happy
man now,’ he said.
‘And I am not too unhappy,’
said Stephen. They shook
hands and Harvey left the
hotel.
Stephen called Robin and
James on their radios and by
the time Jean-Pierre arrived at
the hotel the three of them
were already in the bar with a
bottle of champagne.
V One down and three to gor
Their next meeting was at
James’s London flat where
they had to talk about Robin’s
plan for Monte Carlo. Robin
gave them some more things
to do.
‘Jean-Pierre, you must shave
off your moustache, start
growing a beard and cut your
hair short. It’s very important
that Harvey doesn’t realize
who you are. How’s the
driving going James?’
‘I think I’ll be able to do the
journey in about eleven
minutes, but I’ll have to
practise some more when we
get to Monte Carlo.’
‘Good. Now, Stephen has
been a very good student at
the hospital. Are you happy
about helping me to operate
on Harvey?’ asked Robin.
Stephen said he was.
‘And I’m pleased that he’ll be
asleep most of the time that
I’m with him. I don’t want him
to remember Herr Drosser,’
he said. They all laughed.
Robin looked at his papers
again.
‘We’re flying to Nice on
Monday, the same day that
14
Harvey is arriving in Monte
Carlo on his boat. We won’t sit
together on the plane, or take
the same taxi from the airport.
We’ve got four rooms in the
same hotel, near the casino.
Everything is ready for us at
the hospital when we want it
and I’ll telephone them at the
right time to say we’re
bringing Harvey in,’ he told
them.
Stephen looked at James, who
still had no plan.
‘The most important thing for
you to do, James, is to think of
your idea. You must have a
plan soon.’
Then they all went home.
James said goodbye to
everyone and went back into
his kitchen where Anne was
waiting.
‘Did you listen?’ he asked her.
‘Yes,’ she said, ‘and they all
sounded very nice. They’re
right, you must think of a plan
quickly. We’ve got more than
a week before Mr Metcalfe
goes to Monte Carlo. Perhaps I
can help you to think of
something.’
The next week they flew to
Nice. James was worried
because he still didn’t have a
plan, but he was still thinking.
After they arrived at the hotel
in Monte Carlo they met in
Robin’s room. Jean-Pierre
then went to the casino to
watch Harvey and James
walked from the casino to the
hospital. Then he went to find
Harvey’s boat. Robin and
Stephen went to the hospital
and made sure that there was
an ambulance ready for them.
Robin told the doctor at the
hospital who he was.
‘I’m Doctor Wiley Barker of
the University of California,’
he said, in an American voice.
Everything was now ready for
Robin’s plan.
15
CHAPTER THREE
On their first night in Monte
Carlo Harvey didn’t go to the
casino until very late ^d Jean-
Pierre couldn’t get a place
next to him. On the second
night Harvey arrived at the
casino with a friend. But on
the next night they had better
luck.
Jean-Pierre was already
playing cards at the casino
when Harvey arrived and sat
next to him, in the place that
he always used. After a few
minutes Harvey ordered a cup
of black coffee and the waiter
put it between him and Jean-
Pierre. As he played, Harvey
watched a young man on the
other side of him who was
losing a lot of money.
Jean-Pierre took his
handkerchief from his pocket
and at the same time he
quickly put a pill into Harvey’s
coffee. Then he finished the
game and walked away from
the table to the bar. Stephen
was already waiting in the bar.
Jean- Pierre called James and
Robin on their radios. Then
they all waited.
At first, Harvey just felt a little
sick, so he stayed at the table.
He ordered another coffee but
that didn’t help and his
stomach started to hurt more
and more. About an hour later
it was so bad that he decided
he must leave. When he tried
to get up from the table he fell
onto the floor. People quickly
came round him to see what
was happening. Suddenly
Stephen pushed through the
people.
‘Stand back, please. I’m a
doctor,’ he said.
Harvey was feeling terrible.
‘My stomach . . . hurts . . . very
badly . . .’ he said.
Stephen quickly opened
Harvey’s shirt.
‘Where does it hurt most?’
Harvey showed him and
Stephen touched the place on
his stomach. Harvey screamed
loudly.
16
‘You’ll have to go to hospital.
Let’s hope there’s a doctor
there and he can operate
immediately.’
Jean-Pierre spoke at just the
right time.
‘Dr Wiley Barker is staying at
my hotel - the famous
American doctor.’
Stephen looked at Harvey.
‘He’ll be very expensive, sir,’
he said.
Harvey screamed again.
‘It doesn’t matter how much .
. . get him ... I want the best. .
.’ Then he fainted.
Stephen spoke to Jean-Pierre.
‘Please call Dr Barker and ask
him to go to the hospital
quickly. And call for an
ambulance.’
Jean-Pierre ran out of the
casino and called Robin and
James. Robin took a taxi
straight to the hospital and
James drove the ambulance
very fast through Monte Carlo
to the Casino. He arrived there
eleven minutes later and
together they took Harvey out
to the ambulance and then to
the hospital. In the ambulance
Stephen and Jean-Pierre
changed into hospital clothes.
Robin was waiting when they
arrived.
They all knew what to do.
Stephen gave Harvey some
gas and they all got ready to
help Robin operate. Jean-
Pierre gave Robin a knife.
He made a long cut in
Harvey’s stomach. Then he
closed the cut again. He didn’t
have to do anything more tp
him but it must look real when
Harvey saw it.
They cleaned his stomach and
Stephen gave him a little more
gas. Then James brought the
ambulance to the front of the
hospital and they carried
Harvey to it. Stephen changed
out of his hospital clothes and
went to the telephone while
James drove the others slowly
to Harvey’s boat. A nurse was
waiting for them there.
Stephen telephoned the local
newspaper and told them the
18
Stephen gave Harvey some
gas and they all got ready to
help Robin operate.
story of Harvey’s visit to
hospital. They were all back at
the hotel by 3.30 a.m.
The next morning at eleven
Robin was ready to visit
Harvey on his boat. He was a
little worried about meeting
him, but he knew he looked
just right. He was wearing
small round glasses and his
hair was cut short.
Harvey was sitting up in bed
and was very pleased to see
Robin.
Tve just telephoned my wife,
Dr Barker, and told her all
about it. You saved me from
dying. In the newspaper it says
I had a private ambulance and
you operated on me
immediately. Of course, I
don’t remember a thing.’
Robin was very pleased to
hear that.
‘Tell me. Doctor, was I really in
danger?’
‘Oh yes, you’re lucky I was
able to operate so quickly,’
said Robin.
‘I can’t thank you enough Dr
Barker. If you want me to do
anything for you any time, just
ask. Now, this nurse that you
found me — is she good? I’d
prefer you to see me each day
until I’m better.’
Robin didn’t know what to say
at first because that wasn’t
part of the plan.
‘Of course. I’ll pay. I’m happy
to pay for the best doctor.’
Robin thought quickly.
‘It’s possible it will be as much
as $80,000.’
‘OK, OK.fThat’s not a lot to
stay alive.’/
They shook hands and Robin
left the boat and went back to
the hotel. They were all
waiting for him in Stephen’s
’"oom when he arrived.
'*’m staying here for another
week,’ he told them. ‘And
'etting $80,000 for it.’
20
‘Of course, I’ll pay. I’m happy
to pay for the best doctor. ’
Everyone was very proud of
Robin.
After six days Harvey was well
again and Robin went to say
goodbye to him.
‘I’m going to Ascot next week,
Doctor. Will you be able to
come for the day? My horse
Rosalie is running.’
‘I’m very sorry, I have to
return to California. But I hope
she wins her race for you.’
Robin flew back to England
that day with Harvey’s
$80,000 in his pocket.
Two down and two to go.
The next Friday they all met in
Robin’s office. They still had to
get $494,970 from Harvey.
‘So we must talk about my
plan,’ Stephen said, ‘which
starts in Ascot. After Ascot
we’ll have time to practise the
next part of the plan before
we get Harvey in Oxford. And
I’m very worried because
James still hasn’t got a plan.
We must think of something
soon because when Harvey
goes back to America it will be
much more difficult.’
They all promised to help
James find a plan.
‘Now,’ said Stephen, ‘for Ascot
I shall have grey hair and Jean-
Pierre, you must shave off that
beard and wear glasses. Make
sure Harvey doesn’t see you
too much. For Oxford of
course we’ll all need grey hair.
We must look much older.
Remember, Harvey has seen
us all before now, so we must
look quite different.’
An hour later Robin had to
start work again. Jean-Pierre
went back to his gallery and
every night he practised his
part in the Oxford plan.
Stephen went back to Oxford.
James took Anne to Stratford-
upon-Avon for the weekend
22
and they went to the theatre.
That evening, when they were
walking by the river, he asked
her to marry him and she said
yes.
He still couldn’t think of a
plan. But Anne was beginning
to get an idea . . .
Stephen, James and Jean-
Pierre met at a pub near
Ascot. Robin had to stay in
London to send Harvey a
telegram. James was the first
to go to Ascot and when he
saw Harvey’s car arrive he
called the others on his radio.
‘He’s going into his private
room,’ he told them. On the
door it said ‘Mr Harvey
Metcalfe and Friends’ and
James knew there was lunch
and champagne there for
everyone. Stephen and Jean-
Pierre met James outside.
A telegram arrived for Harvey,
from his daughter.
‘It’s from Rosalie,’ he said, ‘it’s
nice of her to remember
about the race. I named the
horse after her, of course, and
they’re both beautiful.’ He
laughed.
Another telegram arrived, this
time from London. Harvey
read it to his friends.
“‘Sorry I can’t come to Ascot;
if you see my old friend
Professor Rodney Porter,
please look after him.” It’s
from Dr Wiley Barker, the man
who saved me in Monte
Carlo.’
He walked towards the door.
‘I’ve got to try to find this
Professor Porter,’ he said and
left the room.
Stephen’s plan was starting.
23
‘Professor Porter, how nice to
see you again. ’ He shook
hands with Stephen.
CHAPTER FOUR
When Jean-Pierre saw Harvey
in the crowd outside his room
he went up to Stephen and
said in a very loud voice,
‘Professor Porter, how nice to
see you again.’
He shook hands with Stephen,
they said a few words and
then Jean-Pierre walked away.
Harvey came straight across to
Stephen and told him about
the telegram.
‘So I want you to come to my
private room and have some
champagne with me,’ he said.
They watched the races
together and talked about
Harvey’s horse, RosaHe.
Harvey was very pleased and
excited when Rosahe won her
race. Stephen spent the rest of
the day with Harvey and
before they said goodbye he
asked him to come to Oxford
the next Wednesday. Stephen
explained that it was a special
day at the university because
it was the end of the summer
term. There was a garden
party and a lot of other things
happening. Harvey was very
happy because he wanted to
see Oxford and the university,
so he said yes.
During the next few days in
Oxford, they practised
Stephen’s plan again and
again. It had to be perfect
because they could only try it
once. Every second was
important.
Stephen was awake early on
Wednesday, and spent a long
time in front of the mirror
making himself look much
older. Then he dressed and
put on his red gown. On that
day in Oxford there were a lot
of people wearing gowns land
‘"Stephen had got some for
the others to wear, f
He met Harvey at his hotel
and told him about the first
thing that they would see.
25
‘I think they’re hoping maybe
you’ll give the university
something after your win at
Ascot races last week. ’
‘There’s a special breakfast for
all the important people at the
university; then they walk
through the city to the
theatre. We can go and see
that first. Then in the theatre
they give special gowns to
people who have helped the
university . . . with money, you
know.'They’re called Doctors
of Letters.il
Harvey was very interested in
this. ‘I’d really like to see that,’
he said.
‘You can,’ said Stephen.
‘Because you’re so interested
in Harvard University and
you’ve given them a lot of
money I was able to get us
tickets.’
‘That’s wonderful,’ Harvey
said. He was enjoying himself
a lot. ‘What happens after
that?’ he asked.
‘They all go to a special lunch.’
‘We can have lunch at my
hotel.’
‘No,’ said Stephen, ‘we’re
going with them. I think
they’re hoping maybe you’ll
give the university something
after your win at Ascot races
last week.’
‘What a great idea,’ said
Harvey. ‘Why didn’t I think of
that?’
They spent the morning
together and enjoyed the
special lunch. All the
important people in the
university were there and
Harvey loved it. Stephen could
see his plan was going very
well.
There was an hour before the
garden party started and
Stephen said, ‘Shall we look at
some of the university
buildings?’ and he took Harvey
away from all the other
people to the place where he
knew Robin was waiting. They
walked round the corner and
there was Robin. He looked
quite old with grey hair and a
grey moustache. He was
wearing a black and red gown.
Stephen stopped and spoke to
Robin.
27
‘Vice-Chancellor*, I’d like you
to meet Mr Harvey Metcalfe,
from Boston.
Harvey shook hands with
Robin.
‘I hope you’re enjoying your
visit to Oxford, Mr Metcalfe.’
‘I am very much and I’d like to
help the university, if I can.’
‘That’s very good news,’ said
Robin.
‘Perhaps you can have tea
with me at my hotel this
afternoon,’ said Harvey.
Stephen and Robin were quiet
for a few seconds. This wasn’t
part of the plan. Robin
thought quickly.
‘It’s difficult for me on a busy
day like this, Mr Metcalfe, but
if you come to my rooms at
the Clarendon Building at
about 4.30 perhaps we can
have a private conversation
then^ I shall ask the Secretary
of the University and the
Registrar** to come too.’
Harvey agreed immediately.
He was very excited about
meeting the Vice-Chancellor.
When Stephen and Harvey
walked past a shop in the High
Street, they saw a red and
blue gown in the window.
Stephen could see what
Harvey was thinking.
‘You have to be a Doctor of
Letters at the university to
wear that. Would you like to
try it on?’
They went into the shop and
Harvey tried on the gown. He
thought it looked wonderful.
‘What do they cost?’ he asked
Stephen.
‘About think.’
* Vice-Chancellor; A very
important person in the
university but not a professor.
He or she is the head of the
university offices.
** Registrar: This person is
almost as important as the
Vice-Chancellor. The
Registrar’s office looks after
the university’s reports and
papers.
28
They went into the shop and
Harvey tried on the gown.
‘No, I mean — how much do I
have to give to the university
to be a Doctor of Letters?’
‘I really don’t know. Perhaps
you can talk to the Vice-
Chancellor about it this
afternoon.’
While Harvey was putting his
jacket on again Stephen
quietly paid for the gown and
asked them to send it to the
Clarendon Building.
Then they went to the garden
party.
At 4.30 Stephen and Harvey
arrived at the Clarendon
Building. The real Vice-
Chancellor was still at the
garden party so there was
nobody there to see them.
They went upstairs and met
Robin and Jean-Pierre.
Suddenly, the door opened
behind them and a very old
man of about ninety came in.
‘Where’s this man Metcalfe?’
he shouted to Jean-Pierre. It
was James, but it was very
difficult to recognize him.
‘Is this him, Registrar?’ he said
and pointed at Harvey. ‘I have
read about you, Mr Metcalfe.’
‘Mr Metcalfe, this is the
Secretary of the University,’
said Stephen.
They talked for a few minutes
then Harvey said, ‘I’m very
proud to be here today. This
has been a wonderful year for
me. I bought a Van Gogh in
London, my horse won at
Ascot and the best doctor in
America operated on me
when I was ill in Monte Carlo.
My horse Rosalie won nearly
$250,000 and now I want to
give it to this great university.’
‘We’ll take it,’ shouted James,
‘But nobody must know.
'I That’s the way we do things
in Oxford, you know.’
Harvey agreed, and Jean-
Pierre went out of the room to
get the gown. They put it on
Harvey’s shoulders and he
smiled at everyone.
30
‘Wonderful,’ he said. ‘Just
wonderful’. Three down and
one to go.
James hurried back to London
to meet Arme for dinner and
to meet her father for the first
time. He went to his flat to
change his clothes and make
himself look thirty-five again
instead of ninety. Then he
drove to the restaurant where
a private room was ready for
them for dinner. Anne met
him outside.
‘James, come in and meet my
father.’
He followed her into the
room.
‘How are you, my boy? I’ve
heard so much about you
from Rosalie, I can’t wait to
get to know you.’
They shook hands and James
suddenly felt faint.
‘You must call me Harvey. I
can’t believe my daughter’s
going to marry a real Lord,'our
Rosalie
‘James knows me as Anne,
Daddy.’
‘I don’t understand why you
had to change your name for
work,’ said Harvey.
‘No, I don’t either,’ said James.
He could see that Harvey
didn’t recognize him so he was
beginning to feel better.
‘Most of my friends have
changed their names for work.
Also, in my job it’s not very
good that you named a horse
after me. Daddy.’
During dinner Harvey told
James all about his holiday in
England and Monte Carlo.
Then they talked about the
plans for James and Anne’s
wedding in Boston.
After they left Harvey at his
hotel James said to Anne,
‘Why didn’t you tell me? What
am I going to say to the
others?’
She just smiled. ‘Don’t say
anything to them. Ask them to
the wedding and say my
mother’s American, that’s all.
And James, you must think of
a plan. He still has to give you
31
‘James, come in and meet my
father. ’
$250,000 more. That hasn’t
changed, just because he’s my
father.’
When Stephen spoke to them
all next time he said it was a
little more than that in fact:
$250,101.24.
CHAPTER FIVE
Everyone was waiting to hear
James’s plan.
‘It’s nearly ready,’ he said. ‘But
first I have something to tell
you and then I hope you’ll
agree to wait for a few weeks
before we use my plan.’
‘You’re getting married,’
saidJean-Pierre.
‘That’s right and I want you all
to come to the wedding in
Boston on August 3rd. Anne’s
mother is American, ^ you
see.r Anne lives in London but
her mother will be very happy
if she gets married at home.
Then we’re going on holiday
and we’ll be back in England
on August 25th. My plan starts
on September 15th. Is that
OK?’
Everyone agreed.
‘There are some things that
you can work on before then.
Stephen, you must leam all
about the price of gold in
every country during the next
month. Robin, I shall need
seven telephones and a
computer in my flat and you
must know how to use the
computer. Jean-Pierre you
must learn about buying and
selling dollars.’
He gave them some papers to
study. Then he gave them
their tickets to Boston: they
were all flying there on the
afternoon of August 2nd.
‘We’re staying in the same
hotel on August 2nd. Your job
is to make sure I arrive at the
church on time on the 3rd.’
33
Anne met them at Boston
airport and they drove to the
hotel together. When the
others left James and Anne
together, she asked him, ‘Do
they know about my father?’
He laughed. ‘No, it’s going to
be a big surprise for them.’
‘And is your plan ready,
James?’
‘Almost. It’s going to start on
September 15th.’
‘I win then. Mine’s for
tomorrow,’ said Anne, but she
didn’t tell James what her plan
was.
The next morning Stephen,
Robin and Jean-Pierre stood
outside the church waiting for
Anne. When she got out of the
car in her wedding dress they
thought she looked very
beautiful. When her father got
out behind her and stood at
her side their faces went red,
then white. They couldn’t
move, they were so surprised.
Harvey and Anne walked past
them, into the church.
‘Why didn’t James tell us?’
asked Stephen.
‘He didn’t recognize us,’ said
Robin.
‘We all looked so different
every time he saw us,’ said
Jean-Pierre.
‘We must try not to stand too
near to him at the party after
the wedding,’ said Stephen. ‘If
he talks to us maybe he will
recognize our voices.’
‘He’ll want to talk to his
friends, I hope, not us,’ said
Robin.
After the wedding everyone
went to Harvey’s house for
the party. James’s three
friends drank champagne in a
quiet corner and were very
careful not to get too near to
Harvey.
After the dinner James had to
say a few words to everyone
and Harvey did too. Then he
gave Anne an envelope.
‘This is a little wedding
present, my dear, from your
mother and me,’ he said.
34
When she got out of the car in
her wedding dress they
thought she looked very
beautiful.
When Anne looked inside,
there was $250,000.
‘Thank you. Daddy. I promise
James and I will use it for
something very special.’
When she showed it to James
he was very surprised.
‘You know what I’m going to
do with it, don’t you?’ she
asked him, and he smiled.
Anne found Stephen and gave
him the envelope.
What a girl,’ said Robin, while
they looked at the money.
‘Now, Professor, what do you
think of that?’
Stephen laughed.
‘I think we still have to get
another $101.24 from him.’
Anne and James were almost
ready to leave for their
holiday. Everyone wanted to
see them get into their car
and drive away. Suddenly
Harvey said, ‘Why do I have to
think of everything?’
He turned round, saw Stephen
and walked up to him.
‘Rosalie is just going to leave
and there are no flowers for
her. They haven’t arrived yet.
Go to the flower shop along
the road and buy some, will
you? But hurry.’
Stephen hurried away from
the people at the front of the
house and Robin and Jean-
Pierre ran after him.
At the back of the house, he
stopped when he saw lots of
beautiful flowers in Harvey’s
garden. He started taking
them and told the others to
help.
They returned to the front of
the house just when Anne and
James walked to their car.
Stephen gave Harvey the
flowers.
‘Wonderful, my favourite
flowers. How much did they
cost?’
‘100 dollars,’ said Stephen
quickly.
Harvey gave him the money
and Stephen went back to
Robin and Jean-Pierre.
37
Jean-Pierre laughed. ‘ Well, we
got a bottle of very good
champagne instead. ’
James and Anne drove away
and everyone started saying
goodbye to Harvey and his
wife. But Stephen, Robin and
Jean-Pierre stayed away from
him — they still didn’t want
him to recognize them. They
quickly found a taxi to take
them back to the hotel. When
they drove away Robin saw
that Jean-Pierre had a bottle
of Harvey’s champagne under
his jacket and when they got
into the hotel they enjoyed it
together.
‘It’s a pity we didn’t get that
last $1.24,’ said Stephen.
Jean-Pierre laughed. ‘Well, we
got a bottle of very good
champagne instead.’
Four down: not a penny more
and only a few pennies less
than the $1,000,000 that they
lost.
They flew back to London the
next day and Robin bought a
newspaper at the airport.
They took a taxi to Jean-
Pierre’s gallery and on the way
Robin read his newspaper.
Suddenly he shouted, ‘My
God, it’s not possible!’
They all looked at him in
surprise and he started to
read from the newspaper.
‘“Prospecta Oil shares
suddenly went up to X^5.25
yesterday after another
company found oil near the
place where Prospecta were
looking.” Our shares now cost
more than we paid for them
and they’re still going up. So
we haven’t lost our money
after all . . . Harvey didn’t steal
it.’
‘Oh no! What do we do now?’
asked Jean-Pierre.
‘Well,’ said Stephen. ‘1 guess
we’ll have to think of a plan to
give it all back to Harvey.’
1 a Which word means
'someone who knows ail
about a subject’? b Which
word means 'belonging to one
person'?

c Which word means 'to see

someone and remember who
they are’?
d Which word is for something
that you wear? e Which word
means 'what you get if you
buy part of a business’? f
Which word is for an
expensive drink from France?
g Which word is for something
that you send to someone? h
Which word is for a place
where you can play cards for
money? 2 a Which of the
dictionary words goes with
each of these three-

word groups? a knife hospital

blood b business shares
money c first run horses d hot
fall white e pictures expensive
sell
40

EXERCISES
Vocabulary Work
Loo com gall
k pan ery
bac y
k at
the
dicti
ona
ry
wor
ds
in
this
stor
y
and
mak
e
sure
you
und
erst
and
eac
h
wor
d.
shar
es
Lord exp race
ert s
casi cha ope
no mpa rate
gne
fain tele priv
ted gra ate
m
Prof gow reco
esso n gniz
r e